


Dance like no one is watching

by Kagetsukai



Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ballroom Dancing, Dancing, Explicit Language, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friendship, Masturbation, Mutual Pining, Past Relationship(s), Romance, Sexual Language
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-08-17
Packaged: 2018-11-01 05:42:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10915491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kagetsukai/pseuds/Kagetsukai
Summary: Cullen Rutherford has never danced in his life, so when a situation arises where it would be required of him, he decides to be proactive and learn. With Alistair's recommendation, he books a set of private lessons with Ellana Lavellan, hoping it would be enough to make him survive what he considers hell. What he doesn't expect is to become hopelessly attracted to his lovely dance teacher.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme of this chapter: [Rainbow Connection from the Muppet Movie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSFLZ-MzIhM)

_I want to see you again. I miss your smile._

Not for the first time Ellana wistfully thought about the old-timey phones, ones you could either slam down onto the receiver or flip closed with a snap. Pressing _delete_ on her smartphone screen did not carry enough vehemence she felt the situation deserved. Instead, she opted to shove the device back into her purse and huffed in indignation. These text messages were starting to border on harassment.

“Let me guess: the ex lover-boy wants you back.”

Ellana turned around and gave Dorian a sour look.

“Something like that. He’s messaged me several times in the last two weeks and he’s prattling on about missing me and wanting to see me.” She thought about it for a moment. “I think he is trying to woo me with nostalgia and I am not about that life.”

Dorian nodded in agreement.

“Good girl. He doesn’t deserve you.” He wrapped an arm around her in a quick hug and gently pulled her away from the employee-only area. “That being said, your next client is here.”

“Oh, what’s-his-face referred by Alistair?” she asked.

“His name is Cullen,” Dorian provided helpfully. “His last name is something dreadfully Fereldan so I did not bother memorizing it. What I did memorize, in detail, were these fantastically broad shoulders, bulging biceps, and a set of hands that know what hard work is. If you catch my meaning.”

Ellana rolled her eyes as hard as she could, giving Dorian a look of mock disdain.

“I would greatly appreciate if you stopped looking for your next conquest among _my_ clients.” She pointed at his chest. “I’m trying to make a living here and you keep slobbering over every semi-decent looking guy.”

“I do no such thing!” Dorian huffed. “It’s not my fault I’m so good looking all men swoon in my presence.”

As Ellana walked into the main ballroom, she stopped and playfully glared at Dorian.

“Remind me, why do I put up with you?” she asked.

“Because I am the best dance partner in the world and you love me dearly,” he said and snaked his hand around her shoulders again. “Also, I own this place and I hired you.”

This time Ellana managed to not roll her eyes at Dorian. Instead, she stepped out of his embrace and moved towards the front area.

The music in the studio was something in the pop latin genre and she couldn’t help the sway of her hips as she moved across the floor. There was a whole class of people learning what looked like the intermediate level of salsa. She watched as they paired up and learned all sorts of twirls and spins. It made her smile as she let the rhythm move her body and she spun in the same way the class was practicing... 

Right into the man standing just outside of the dancefloor.

Everything around her stilled as she felt herself collide with a solid, immovable body. Mortified at her own clumsiness, she barely noticed how he caught and stabilized her. She promptly jumped away from his grasp, making sure she stood at a respectable distance. 

“Sorry!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t mean to run into you like that.”

“It’s no problem,” the man replied and Ellana finally made eye contact with him.

For a split second, everything came to a screeching halt and Ellana experienced an overwhelming urge to _run_. Amber eyes of the most unusual tint bore into her with intensity she was not used to and she felt like a small animal caught in a hunter’s trap. It had been ages since the last time she felt this scrutinized and her skin shivered at the sensation. 

“Cullen,” Dorian said somewhere next to her. “Let me introduce you to your dance teacher, Ellana Lavellan. I promise she’s generally more graceful than what you just saw.”

Ellana was being teased and she did not like it one bit, not when she was in front of a complete stranger. She shot Dorian yet another dirty look and briefly scanned her newest pupil. While this human was not much taller than Dorian, he was definitely wider. The dark semi-loose t-shirt only partially obscured the fact the man was built from solid muscle. He wore black slacks that completed the look and she briefly wondered if somebody had advised him on what the best dance attire would be. He looked incredibly good wearing it.

He suddenly smiled at her in a completely lopsided, bashful way and it caused a bunch of butterflies to wake up in Ellana’s gut. 

What?

“I can guarantee you are leaps and bounds more graceful than I am,” he said and stretched out his hand. “I’m Cullen. It’s lovely to meet you.”

Her good manners finally made her body wake up from the reverie.

“Ellana. The pleasure is all mine.” 

She took the offered hand and squeezed it firmly. His palm was much larger than hers and it engulfed her in an overwhelming warmth. Before she could ponder any longer what kind of signals her body was sending to her brain, she gestured to an area deeper in the studio.

“Shall we?”

He nodded and followed her lead.

On the way to the farthest corner of the massive dance floor, Ellana had just enough time to collect her thoughts and smother her unsteady heartbeat into submission. She blamed Dorian for everything, really, because he had pointed out that Cullen was really attractive and her body had reacted accordingly. How can you not get all hot and bothered when this man looked like he just walked off the set of Fereldan Quarterly? She made sure to take several breaths to calm herself and turned to Cullen.

“So, let’s talk about this for a moment,” she said with a smile. “What is the goal with these lessons?”

He didn’t quite meet her eyes when he reached to scratch the back of his neck. Ellana immediately recognized it as a nervous tick. An adorable and endearing nervous tick.

“Well, a good friend of mine, Alistair-- you know Alistair, right?” he asked and she nodded. “He is getting married. I’m supposed to be a groomsman at his wedding, it’s a big production, and I was told I’d be expected to dance. I’ve never danced in my life so I’ve decided these lessons would be a good idea to mitigate my shortcomings.”

Ellana nodded again. It sounded like a speech that he had practiced at home and was eager to deliver it as quickly as possible. She was used to this kind of behavior and the familiarity of the situation calmed her more than the breathing exercises did.

“Remind me, when is the wedding?”

“Just under three months,” he supplied readily and then his face fell. “Will that be enough time? I am so sorry. I should have thought of this sooner.”

Ellana smiled briefly and shook her head.

“You’re fine. Don’t worry about it.” She reached out and patted his upper arm. “I don’t think I’ll make Fred Astaire out of you, but you will know enough to survive one evening.”

He clearly didn’t believe her at all, but she wasn’t going to argue the point.

“So, you have no experience with dancing?”

He shook his head. “None.”

“How about music?” she asked. “Do you play an instrument, perhaps?”

A faint blush colored his neck while he continued to refuse eye contact with her.

“I don’t play any instruments, but I used to sing in the Chantry choir as a boy,” he admitted. “That was a _long_ time ago, though.”

She nodded thoughtfully and rubbed her hands together.

“Actually, that’s perfect.” She smiled again. “The Chantry tends to be thorough with its music education. I just needed to know if you can find rhythm in any given song. I suspect you will have an easier time of it than most.”

Cullen nodded, but seemed skeptical. Ellana chose to continue her out-loud thought process instead of trying to soothe his apparent worry.

“For majority of weddings, I will teach the basics of waltz, foxtrot, and swing or tango,” she counted out on her fingers. “Some weddings have a lot of Antivan or Rivaini elements and that’s when knowing salsa and cha-cha comes in handy. If I remember Alistair correctly, though, this will be a very Fereldan affair.”

Cullen smiled a little.

“You would be correct in your assumption,” he commented with a nod. Ellana noted he finally looked at her face again and not the floor, the wall, or literally anywhere else. 

“Great! Let’s start with the waltz, then!”

She tugged at his elbow and turned them both to face the wall mirror. 

“Waltz is both the easiest and most difficult of ballroom dances. There are six basic steps that repeat over and over. Then you can add crazy things like turns, separations, et cetera. We’ll see if we even get to that today,” she said, smiling, and winked at his reflection.

Ellana did that completely involuntarily, something she had done with others to break the ice, make the other person feel at ease, but the moment Cullen saw her wink, his ears turned red and his gaze dropped away from hers. The reaction was so sweet and innocent, it stopped her dead in her tracks. It baffled her immensely how this impossibly gorgeous man could be so easily flustered. Didn’t he have women lining up to vie for his attention?

“Anyway,” she intoned. “Let’s get you familiar with the basic steps, shall we? Just watch my feet and follow along.”

As Ellana ran through the movements a few times over, she took the opportunity to watch Cullen move his body. There was stiffness in his muscles, rigidity that spoke of how deeply uncomfortable and nervous he was in the situation. It also seemed like he was trying really hard to get the steps right; whether to impress her as a teacher or to progress quicker in the lesson, she couldn’t tell. Thankfully, he stared at her feet as instructed so he couldn’t see her appraising him. She was grateful for it, considering his discomfort.

“Alright, now do that without looking down,” she instructed and watched his panicked eyes face the mirror. “Waltz is based on a three-count: each measure you count to three. If you want to count silently to yourself, it might help.”

Cullen nodded and they once again moved in unison to the steps he was trying to master. He wasn’t bad at it, but he looked incredibly high-strung and his feet jerked around a bit.

“I think you got the basics of the steps,” Ellana decided and Cullen stopped moving immediately. “Now I’m going to teach you how to hold a partner.”

She hadn’t considered it possible, but the tension in his body doubled. By all accounts, it looked like Cullen was terrified to touch her and it confused Ellana to no end.

“I promise I don’t bite,” she said to him and tried to smile with as much reassurance a she could muster. He did not relax even an inch. 

“In a waltz the man holds what we call a frame: your left hand extends to hold a woman’s right hand while your other hand loops in a semi-circle and presses on her shoulder blade, right under the armpit.” She pointed to the place on her body. “You need to make sure your elbow always points out, because your partner will need it for correct waltz posture. Many people drop the elbow in the more casual scenarios but I like to teach it correctly to begin with.”

Cullen kept bobbing his head in agreement, indicating he understood the directions, though she had an inkling he was in a state of mild panic. Perhaps the increased perspiration around his temples and the slightly widened eyes were the best indication of his mental state.

“This is how that looks,” she demonstrated the position and he imitated it almost perfectly. “Good! That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

He gave her a very weak smile in return.

“That depends on your definition of hard,” he said and his expression soured. 

Ellana tried really hard not to show just how frustrated she was becoming. In her best estimation, Cullen was doing fine, well even. He followed her directions with precision and his worst sin was his overwhelming nerves. She stepped forward into his arms and into the starting position. To his credit, he didn’t jump away, but she could still see how tense he became. That, and his palms became a little too sweaty.

“Cullen, look at me,” she asked. He took a few breaths and indulged her request. She had to remind herself to breathe when those golden, expectant eyes pinned her in place. “I want you to remember that you are not trying to diffuse a nuclear bomb over here. We are trying to dance.” A small huff of laugh escaped his lips. “It won’t be the end of the world if you get something wrong. I even expect you to. The worst thing you can do for yourself is treat this like some kind of an assignment at work. People used to do this for fun all the time, you know?”

He actually chuckled this time and his minty breath puffed against her face. Ellena briefly wondered if it was some sort of gum he had chewed earlier and if she would taste it if she leaned in to…

She cleared her throat and shifted her gaze. What the hell was wrong with her? Cullen waited for her next instructions and all she could do was stare at his mouth. Did he always have that scar splitting his lip? 

“Anyway!” she said perhaps a little louder than she had intended. “How to actually lead. Your left hand will be your primary way to indicate to your partner what you intend to do next. It can be as easy as just stepping in the direction you want to go or it could be guiding your partner through a spin.” To demonstrate, she lifted his hand and traveled through the simplest of waltz spins. She promptly returned to Cullen’s stationary frame. “Your right hand is there to provide extra support and guidance during movement. You can also gently pull in the direction you wish the woman to go.”

He nodded and she felt just a little tug on her shoulder blade when he tried it out.

“Yes, just like that,” she nodded. “Now let’s move together for a little, shall we? Remember, a three-count. One, two, three.”

Cullen pressed on her palm with just enough pressure to indicate movement and she tried to follow his lead. Unfortunately, he ended up starting with the wrong foot, shifted in the opposite direction and summarily stepped on her toes. She worked really hard to not wince visibly.

“I am _so_ sorry!” he exclaimed and moved away as far as her reach would allow.

He looked so completely distraught for messing up so badly she couldn’t help but feel for the poor guy. He clearly wanted to do well. She patted him lightly on the forearm and reset to her original position, hoping he’d get the clue. Cullen wordlessly followed suit. She noted the redness of his ears had spread to his neck, just under the jaw. That perfectly chiseled jaw.

“A false start. It happens all the time.” She hoped that the smile she kept giving him was still encouraging and soft; a teacher’s smile. “Let’s try again.”

This time Ellana stayed silent to see what he would do.

He inhaled a deep, slow breath and closed his eyes for a moment. It looked like he was at war with a part of his inner self, fighting a battle against the nerves and frustration he had to feel. Then he exhaled and his shoulders relaxed imperceptibly. When he lifted his eyelids again, there was determination in his gaze. Ellana smiled. Perhaps not all was lost just yet.

When Cullen pressed onto her next, it was gentle and she slowly followed him along. He didn’t fumble the steps this time. His moves were still rather boxy and stifled, but the more he shifted along with her, the more she felt tension leave his body. Even the lines on his face, so harsh and drawn before, steadily receded into a much more pleasant expression. He even seemed to start to enjoy himself.

“Wonderful!” she said and slowed to a stop. Cullen almost stepped on her foot again, but she was ready this time and maneuvered her herself away.

“Shall we try this with actual music?” she asked and gave him a somewhat playful smile.

“Might as well.”

Ellana stepped back to tinker with an ipod dock that sat closest to her. There were several of them positioned around the studio, along with a big DJ set up for when the studio hosted their weekly dance party. She scrolled through available music and found something suitable; it was classical, long, and completely inoffensive. 

“Alright, Cullen. Show me what you’ve got,”

He reached out his right hand, which she grasped easily. His other arm fell on her shoulder blade and they stilled, waiting for the music to wind up. As they stood there, staring into each other’s eyes, Ellana could not help but rapidly fall into the piercing amber of his gaze. It made her think of a pool of warm gold that caressed her skin and pleasantly boiled her blood. It scared her how quickly this baffling human made her feel things she hadn’t felt in what seemed like ages. 

The music swelled through the speakers and Cullen moved them back in the simple rhythm of one-two-three. The tension in his whole body was still there, but he didn’t look as nervous as he did before.

“Make sure you don’t lock your knees as you step,” she whispered to him and saw him nod.

Her voice sounded rough even to her own ears and she didn’t dare keep eye-contact anymore. Cullen’s eyes did some terrifyingly exciting things to her body, though she couldn’t do anything to counter it while they danced. It didn’t help that once he softened his knees, his legs started moving with a languid ease she could not have suspected before. She wondered briefly how it would feel to dance a tango with him, be pressed against that warm, solid mass of...

“Am I doing alright?” he asked quietly.

Just then Ellana realized they had been moving quietly for however many minutes she lost track of and Cullen’s worried gaze bore into her with insecurity. She slowed her steps and reluctantly moved away from him. One glance at the clock let her know the twenty-five minute private lesson was coming to an end. 

“Well, what do you think?” she asked. She hoped her smile showed fondness, but not the thoughts running through her head.

“I think you’ve done what you could with a lost case like myself,” he offered. “That being said, I don’t feel like I’ve made a complete fool of myself, though I may have come close a few times.”

A startled chuckle escaped her mouth at his self-deprecating assessment and he returned it with an impish grin that made her heart skip a beat.

“You sell yourself short, my good sir.” She reached out to pat his arm again; that lovely, firm arm. “As predicted, you’ve made your fair share of mistakes, but overall, you’ve improved a lot in a short period of time. You have a decent grasp of the basic steps, the rhythm, and how to lead on the dance floor. Trust me, the last part is the most difficult.”

Cullen kept looking at her with this happy expression that made her insides melt, while her heart kept dancing some bizarre samba with the butterflies in her stomach. Ellana could feel her brain going increasingly more fuzzy with emotions and she recognized when she needed to sound a retreat. This was bad.

“Anyway, that should conclude our lesson for today.” Cullen’s face fell immediately and her breath stuttered. “I strongly recommend practicing what you have learned today so it stays in your head until next week. Also, if you know anybody you could practice with, do so. The more you do that, the better you will get.”

He nodded in agreement, but she had a distinct impression he was unhappy at the prospect. 

“Thank you, Ellana, you are a wonderful teacher and I am glad Alistair recommended you,” he said and a tiny smile played on his scarred lips. He reached out his hand again. “Thank you. I will see you next week?”

“Yes, I’ll see you next week,” she replied and shook his hand. 

He turned around and left to collect his belongings, while she recovered from his brief touch. She watched him go and she definitely did not admire how his ass and thighs moved in those black trousers. Her mouth was suddenly dry so she licked her lips.

“Down girl! You’re undressing that poor man with your eyes.”

Ellana had not heard Dorian approach, so she jumped at his sudden appearance, her heart racing uncontrollably. Her face flushed at the insinuation, but instead of arguing, she opted to escape to the employee area while the sound of Dorian’s maniacal laughter trailed after her. Maybe there would be another text message from Solas she could be angry with so she wouldn't be thinking of soft amber eyes and wonderfully warm hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Since my other multi-chaptered fic is turning out darker than I anticipated, I thought it was time for some over-the-top fluff. So much fluff! 
> 
> Kudos and comments are my lifeblood, and if you want to drop me a note, I hang out on my [Tumblr](https://kagetsukai.tumblr.com/) A LOT.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Theme of this chapter is Blue Caravan by Vienna Teng. I love this woman and I write to her music more often than not.

Cullen gripped the wheel of his car, knuckles taut and white, and stared intently at the front window of the dance studio. Across its transparent surface ran large golden letters that announced the name of the establishment: Pavus Prestigious School of Dance. For the millionth time now, he cursed himself for agreeing to be Alistair’s groomsman - they were barely acquainted! - and for agreeing to have these Void-taken lessons. They were useless in the grand scheme of things! Once the wedding passed, he would never use this skill again and he could have used this money on something _practical_. 

Motion just beyond the glass caught his attention and his eyes immediately focused on the flash of someone blonde that moved with dizzying speed of a dance he did not recognize. Not that he knew more than one anyway. Once he had spotted Ellana, he had a hard time pulling his eyes away, watching as the beautiful golden hair, free of any ties, whipped about her smiling face. Whoever she currently danced with clearly knew what they were doing, because their joint movement was quick and expert. She was a thing of beauty and grace, and Cullen’s heart stumbled when he remembered he would be holding her in - he checked the dashboard clock - less than fifteen minutes. The realization only brought back the anxiety.

Still, punctuality ingrained in him since he was a child forced him to reach to the passenger seat, grab the dress shoes, and leave the comfortable confines of his car. He was a grown adult and he would approach this like any other obstacle in his path: swiftly and head on. With resignation, and no small amount of trepidation, he checked in with the exceptionally quirky receptionist at the front desk and entered the main room of the school.

All sorts of chairs and benches lined the walls and Cullen chose one that seemed least occupied by stuff: duffle bags, sneakers, weird pieces of clothing. Slowly, he went about the business of changing his shoes while he watched the happenings around him. Just like the week before, there was a salsa class already in progress and the teacher at the helm was demonstrating yet another complicated move that involved a lot of hip movement and spinning. He almost felt envy for these people who were able to relax their bodies enough to accommodate such elaborate steps; they made it look easy.

“If you’d like, Ellana could show you how to dance like that.”

Having just finished with the shoelaces, Cullen straightened up and looked at the man before him. It was Dorian, the Tevinter man with too much pomade in his mustache and a larger-than-life personality.

“As much as I admire these people and their ability, I doubt I’d be capable of making my body move like that,” he shrugged and stood up. “A friend of mine keeps accusing me of having a stick up my ass and I doubt it’s conducive to fluid movement.”

The self-deprecating joke landed where it was intended and Dorian guffawed. He shook his head at Cullen and searched the dance floor with his eyes.

“You might be right about the stick,” Dorian said and pointed with his chin, “but Ellana has made great dancers off lesser men.”

Cullen followed with his eyes and watched as Ellana spun back and forth, held in place by a spry older dwarf. The man was somewhat thick around the middle, with a prodigious, double-braided red beard and a buzz cut that clearly belonged to a previous decade, yet he moved with the grace and speed of a gazelle, his hips moving in time with the latin rhythms.

Cullen’s brain caught up to him and he narrowed his eyes. “Did you just make a dwarf joke?”

Dorian turned to him again, his eyes large and innocent as you please. “How could you. I would never!” 

If Dorian had been wearing pearls, Cullen had a distinct impression he would be clutching them right then; he also did not believe a word out of the man’s mouth.

It had to have been the end of the dwarf’s time because Ellana slowed to a stop, exchanged a few words and they broke apart. Cullen tried not to stare, but he could not help notice the alluring flush of her skin, the light sheen of sweat that reflected ceiling lights, and the beautifully slender fingers that immediately raked through her hair, as if desperate to tame the mess it had become. She was breathing hard, and her chest rose and fell in time with each inhale. His caveman brain promptly supplied how else he could make her heave like that and he forced himself to look away.

“She’s single, you know. You should ask her out,” Dorian supplied helpfully and turned to leave.

Before Cullen could stop Dorian and gather enough braincells to refute the statement, to say that he could not, it wasn’t like that, and why was Dorian even saying such things and--

“Hello Cullen!”

Any remaining thoughts he may have had stopped dead in their tracks. There she was, Ellana, in all of her glory, flushed and smiling up at _him_. 

“Hi,” he croaked in the most undignified voice he didn’t know he had.

“I’m sorry, the last client ran a little long,” she rambled on, clearly oblivious of her effect on him. “If you don’t mind, I’ll grab a bottle of water and we can start.”

He didn’t trust himself to speak again, so he nodded and watched as she bounded away. She briefly stopped at the front desk, grabbed a bottle handed to her and said something to the girl sitting there. Cullen couldn’t hear it, but whatever the exchange, it definitely annoyed Ellana. When she turned back around, her face showed a frown and a blush that deepened in color. By the time she returned to his side, though, the frown had disappeared and was replaced by a genuine smile.

“Let’s get started, shall we?”

Once more Ellana led him to a separated area of the studio, clearly her preferred workspace. He appreciated it, since he had no desire to show the world outside the front window just bad he was at this dancing business.

“So, did you get to practice the steps at all?” she asked him when they stopped.

His mind flashed back to the hours he spent the previous week trying to perfect the paltry six steps.

“A little,” he supplied. His traitor right hand immediately went to rub at his neck. “My younger sister caught wind of it and all but forced me to practice with her. My dining table seems to have permanently shifted to the living room.”

Ellana giggled with delight and Cullen’s heart soared at the sound.

“You know what they say: practice makes better.”

Cullen was going to correct her on the saying, but then he caught sight of her mischievous smile and quickly realized that was not her point. She was once more trying to put him at ease, joking lightly to loosen him up for the lesson ahead. A warmth bloomed in his chest at the thought, a fond appreciation for the woman whom he knew almost nothing about.

“Alright, let’s get down to business,” she announced and went to turn on the music. “Let’s run through the basic steps again.”

Soft tinkle of piano music blanket them, so at odds with the vivacious music of the main class. Ellana reached out her hands and he snapped into a position he was quickly becoming familiar with. The moment their hands touched, he expected his body to become rigid and unyielding like the last time; instead, he held a firm frame for her, steady as you please. She clearly misread the surprise that must have shown on his face, because she gently squeezed their clasped hands in quiet reassurance.

“Go slow and don’t overthink it,” she said into the air between them.

He didn’t move immediately after that, letting her breath pleasantly whisper against his collarbone. He felt his body relax further, accepting Ellana as another person who would not laugh at his subpar skills. _This is like dancing with Rosalie_ , Cullen told himself. Only this was Ellana and he desperately wanted to do his best for her. So he focused on the music in the background and let his body follow the rise and fall of its rhythm. He pushed forward and lead the way.

Contrary to their last time, he did not step on her feet, did not move the wrong direction, nor did he lose his rhythm. Moving against her felt as easy as breathing and Cullen briefly wondered if having practiced so much really did make such a difference, or if Ellana herself made it easier to dance.

“Fantastic!” she exclaimed after several moments and he slowed to a stop. “You definitely lost most of stiffness in your movement. I think we can progress to new things.”

She stepped away, facing the wall mirror, and he followed suit.

“Today I will show you a couple of different steps that will make your life easier at a wedding,” she announced. “They are simple and give variety to your basic box step. You’ll be able to lead a partner without her needing to know anything complicated.”

Cullen smiled at her reflection, incredibly thankful for the fact she understood his intentions and wasn’t trying to make things more complicated than they needed to be. She smiled back, her blue eyes bright and open. If he didn’t pay attention, he could lose himself in those.

“First, the progressive step,” she announced and they got to work.

The next several minutes became a blur of learning the steps, following along, and trying really hard to keep up with his beautiful teacher. She made it both fun and easy to go along, so he soon moved smoothly to the the one-two-three rhythm of the waltz. Even when she forced him to partner up, he did not seem to screw up too much. Or so he thought.

“You know, you’re improving quite quickly for a complete newbie,” she said to him after going through the motions several times. They paused while she stared at him with an amused expression. “I’m starting to think you lied about never having danced before.”

He chuckled to himself and shook his head.

“All credit should go to my capable teacher,” he bowed to her briefly. “Without your guidance, I’d be lost completely and probably stepping on feet of unsuspecting dance partners.”

A gale of laughter erupted from her lips and died as quickly as it came when she realized its volume. She placed a hand over her mouth while her eyes danced with mirth.

“You’re such a flatterer! Thank you,” she nodded back to him. “But you might still step on some feet. The night is young.”

It was his turn to snicker.

“I would rather not have you be on the receiving end, though,” he said and pointed down. “Considering I have kayak-sized feet, it would hurt if I stepped on you.”

Ellana followed his gaze and back up. One of her eyebrows shot up in an inquisitive manner and she smirked.

“I’m sure you’ll manage to avoid me,” she commented and her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Now, we only have a few more minutes left so let’s go through everything once more, but this time you get to choose what we’re dancing. Just make sure to change things up.”

Cullen nodded automatically, his nerves getting the better of him once more. He took her hands in his - it kept getting easier to do so - and waited for the music to cycle. Something soft and melodic came on, so the moment he caught the down-beat, he pushed forward. It felt liberating to move like this, together, in unison with the song. For so long he had been convinced he couldn’t dance, he had believed it completely.

“So, how was your day?”

Her question startled him and broke his concentration; his movement faltered and he once more felt her foot under his shoe. He winced and immediately stopped altogether.

“Now, now,” she chided him. “This only works if you manage to dance and talk at the same time. This is your practice for when you’re supposed to make small talk with wealthy ladies in ridiculous dresses.”

Oh.

Cullen pressed his eyelids together and reached for his neck, desperately trying to massage the tension he could feel building. It seemed like he had failed a test and he cursed his inability to adapt to her wishes.

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t expecting it,” he murmured without meeting her eyes.

“No worries!” she countered, her voice back to its bubbly countenance. “Let’s just go from the top.”

They hastily reset their positions and went back to dancing. This time Ellana waited several minutes and a variety of steps before intoning again.

“So, that day of yours. How was it?”

This time, knowing what she expected of him made it easier for Cullen to divide his attention between what his body needed to do and speaking with a beautiful woman.

“My day has been,” he paused briefly to readjust his footing, “long and trying. Mostly due to school and classes.”

Cullen caught a fleeting expression of interest on her face while he continued to focus on _not_ stepping on her toes.

“Are you going for a graduate degree or something?” she asked.

He shook his head and regretted it immediately. It made him stumble and lose his place for a moment.

“No,” he admitted. “I am in a process of switching careers. Eventually, I want to be a registered nurse, but for now I’m working on my RNA certifications.”

She nodded solemnly and Cullen instantly became jealous of her impeccable control.

“That is a noble job,” she commented. “I’ve never known anybody who wanted to switch to a medical career. I hear it can be thankless and insanely trying.”

“And incredibly important,” he bit back angrily, his temper flaring.

Ellana’s entire body stiffened under his hands and Cullen cursed his surprising inability to speak his mind. Normally he didn’t have such issues yet every time he had _her_ in front of him, his tongue tangled and refused to cooperate. He slowed their dance to a stop and reached to take her right hand in both of his.

“I’m sorry, that was uncalled for,” he said and gently squeezed her palm. “I have a slew of reasons why I am going into this field and you know none of them. You are trying to teach me dancing and I just snapped at you like a rabid dog. I apologize.”

And without further thought he kissed the hand he had been holding.

The next few moments happened as if in a haze. Ellana’s eyes widened at the forward gesture and her gaze left his immediately. Her face turned an interesting and fetching shade of red, while he dropped her hands and swiftly stepped back. He could feel warmth crawling up his neck and he wondered if he would soon turn a similar color to Ellana, though she did not give him enough time to find out.

“Right. That. Okay, so-- ummm-- Apology accepted,” she stuttered, her eyes looking everywhere but his face. She pointed to the wall clock with her chin. “Oh look at the time. We should finish for today, don’t you think? I will see you next week, same time, right?”

Cullen stared as Ellana flailed in place then turned around and basically ran off to another section of the dance floor. He trailed his eyes after her, wondering what in the Void had pushed him to behave like that and what in the world was he going to do when he saw her next. For now, he settled on quickly leaving the school premises before the receptionist moved on from kissy faces to something more lewd or suggestive.

==================================

Cullen stood by a floor-to-ceiling window of his living room, tired eyes lazily perusing the view outside. Out of nowhere, an annoying ringtone drifted from the pocket of his pants and he slowly pulled out his phone. He looked down at the number he did not recognize and swiped the lock screen to answer it.

“Rutherford.”

“Cullen, I hope this isn’t too late to call.”

Leliana’s voice sounded just on the edge of contrite and expectant, like she knew he wouldn’t refuse her, but wanted to offer an apology anyway.

“It’s fine,” he replied. “What’s wrong?”

She sighed.

“I have new information: we were right, there is something brewing within the Inquisition and it looks really bad. We may need all hands on deck, I’m afraid. My people haven’t found any solid proof yet, but it’s just a question of time.”

Cullen nodded, then rolled his eyes; it’s not like she could see him gesticulate.

“Knowing my luck, it will happen during Alistair’s wedding. I would loathe to miss it and have him pout at me for the next foreseeable future.” 

He groaned at the thought. How such a grown man could be so childish at times was beyond him.

Leliana chuckled. “Careful with that sarcasm, Cullen. I might think you actually don’t want to go.”

He closed his eyes, willing himself not to get annoyed with the teasing.

“I will do what is expected of me,” he grumbled. “Either way, I assume I should have my go bag ready?”

“Yes. If it goes the way I expect it, we’ll need you in Val Royeaux as soon as we know the details.”

“Understood,” he affirmed. “Anything else?”

“No, that’s it for now.” Leliana said and paused. “How are you holding up Cullen? Have you been taking care of yourself?”

He scoffed. “I’m fine, Leliana, really. As I’m sure you remember, Rosalie has been around and keeping me out of trouble, I promise.”

“She’s moving out in two months, though.”

“How do you--” he took another steadying breath. “Never mind how you know that. Please don’t make it sound like I’m a child who cannot be left alone. It will be fine. I’ll be fine.”

An extended silence greeted him in turn and he had a suspicion Leliana was judging how much she would trust his words. Rosalie had moved in with Cullen two years prior, just as he had made the decision to diminish his involvement with the Inquisition. She knew he had been struggling with lyrium withdrawal, and had helped him at times, but she did not know everything. He had made sure to protect his sister from the worst of it. 

“Alright,” Leliana drawled out finally. “If you say so.”

“I do.”

“I’ll let you get back to your evening, then. Have a good night, Cullen. We will speak another time.”

“Good night, Leliana.”

He ended the call and stared at his phone for a brief moment before turning it off for the night. Cullen slowly stepped towards a little table that held three different bottles of scotch and picked one at random. He poured two fingers of smooth, amber liquid into a waiting glass and went to sit on the couch. While he had been struggling with insomnia for the past few days, this new development guaranteed he would not get sleep anytime soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *gasp* AN UPDATE! Be still my beating heart! This chapter has been in the making for the past two weeks and I'm glad to finally be able to post the damned thing. I hope it's enjoyable. Also, surprise plot? ;) WHO KNEW???
> 
> Comments and kudos are life. If you want to flail at me, I hang out at [Kagetsukai](https://kagetsukai.tumblr.com/) and try to be funny. Also, I've written a lot of fluffy short fiction for this universe, so if you want more, come and see :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellana's friends mean well and they want her happy, but some of their methods of encouragement leave a lot to be desired. Cue shenanigans and awkward situations galore!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note the change in rating on this fanfic!
> 
> Theme of this chapter is [Death of a bachelor by Panic! At the disco](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R03cqGg40GU). This song is the entire reason for this fic, I swear.

“So, who’s the new guy?”

Kallian’s voice came through Ellana’s headset; clear, strong, and demanding in its cadence. She rolled her eyes and instead chose to focus on the video game before her.

“What guy?” she asked.

They were playing Smite together and while Ellana’s Ares was chaining all nearby opponents, Kallian’s Zeus was getting ready for her ultimate move, the Lightning Storm. They didn’t have time to have this conversation right now and it was a jackass move to start it.

“The guy you’ve been seeing and not telling me about,” came a terse reply.

Their conversation took a break while they executed their wombo combo, neatly exploding all gathered enemies. Next, they would be gearing up to go claim the enemy tower.

“I have not been seing any guys, Tabs!” Ellana gritted through her teeth. Even if their team was dominating the play, she didn’t want to lose the first match of the day, especially such an easy one. 

“Bullshit!” Kallian replied.

Their screen suddenly flashed the victory card as the opposing team conceded their game.

“Yes!” Ellana exclaimed and nodded to herself. This was a match easily won, mostly because she could communicate with her best friend over Curse and combo the shit out of their gods.

“I am hurt, El.” Kallian would not be deterred. “I keep getting cryptic messages from Dorian containing sexual euphemisms and all variants of 'horizontal tango', and Sera cannot stop talking about peaches, sausages, and making that filthy gesture with her fingers and the tongue. Something is up and I’m pissed I have to find out from others. Spill.”

Cornered, Ellana knew she would have to explain the situation, however embarrassing it would get. 

“Call me on the phone, then. I don’t want to chat on Curse about my non-existent love life,” she growled and started the process of disconnecting from all servers. She could always play later, if she still felt like being social on the internet.

When the phone rang, she picked it up and set it on loudspeaker. She laid back on her bed and stared at the ceiling while her best friend’s voice came on.

“So, who is he?” Tabs asked.

“Nobody, I swear,” Ellana sighed, exasperated. How the hell was she going to explain this? “I have a new client at the studio, he’s really attractive, and everybody is ready to marry me off to him for that reason alone. And while I do appreciate his good looks, I know almost nothing about him; he’s literally had two private lessons with me. He could be a serial killer.”

A soft hum echoed from the phone.

“There’s this amazing thing called Google. You can always look him up and see what comes up. It’s amazing the kind of information you can find online.”

Ellana had thought about it already and had the answer ready:

“No.”

“But you’d know if he’s a serial killer…”

“Or he could be some amazing scholar in a fascinating field of study. I would get infatuated with an idea of him and spend another five years in a one-sided relationship based on worship. Thanks, hard pass.”

The words came out harsher than she had anticipated and she fell silent in their wake. Thankfully, Kallian was intimately familiar with Ellana’s relationship history and didn’t have to be reminded of how the last man had abandoned her, or why. Considering Solas had resurfaced and kept texting her every few days with a new way of saying ‘I miss you’, she felt a little touchy on the subject.

“I’m sorry, you’re right,” Kallian conceded after a moment’s pause. “What does he look like, though? What’s his name? What does he do? Tell me everything.”

Ellana groaned at the barrage of questions.

“His name is Cullen. I have no idea what he does for a living, I haven’t asked, though he apparently is in school to become an RNA. He’s a human, so he’s tall but also really broad in the shoulders. He’s got blonde hair, light brown eyes, and a gorgeous smile. ”

Kallian chuckled on the other side of the line. “Wow, Dorian was right. You do sound smitten.”

“No, I don’t!”

“Now you sounds like a pouty teenager. You like the guy, admit it.”

Ellana grumbled at the phone. “I admit that he’s attractive. I’m a red-blooded woman and I have the right to appreciate a good-looking man.”

“You should ask him out, then!” Kallian exclaimed. “That red-blooded woman hasn’t seen action in almost three years. You probably grew cobwebs down there.”

“Tabs!” Ellana gasped in a completely fake outrage. “Don’t be ridiculous!”

“We should go shopping for dildos again. If this human is as tall as you’ve implied, his dick might be too massive to take without some practice. Your cooch will need training. And lube. A shitload of lube,” Kallian continued nonchalantly. 

Ellana almost fell off her bed in a weird combination of shock and laughter. She could feel her face burn at the words, even as her mind provided wonderful images of naked Cullen in throes of passion, both alone and with her underneath him, moving and gasping in unison. She briefly wondered if he really was so well-endowed, before the logical side of her brain kicked in and clamped down on the entire fantasy.

“Creators, Tabs. _No!_ ” Ellana exclaimed, both mortified and amused at the same time. “You are worse than Dorian and Sera combined. I am _not_ shopping for any dildos and I am _not_ … training anything.”

The gales of cackling laughter that poured out of her phone let Ellana know just how much her best friend enjoyed causing this brand of discomfort.

“You should have seen your face, El,” Kallian wheezed out once she calmed enough. “I mean, I couldn’t see it either, but I know exactly the face you were making. It’s the one that makes you look like an outraged Chantry sister who secretly enjoys giving blow jobs.”

Clearly, the conversation was not going to change to anything other than the nether regions, so Ellana rolled her eyes and reached for the phone.

“You are unbearable and I am done with you,” she announced categorically. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Sleep well!” Kallian threw back cheerfully. “I hope you dream of a giant cock with blonde hair!”

Ellana didn’t deign to reply and vehemently hit the end button.

Kallian had been bawdy in her jokes but Ellana did want to dream of Cullen - just not the way her best friend had insinuated. She wanted to dream of his large, warm hands that held her tight and secure against him, of his lopsided smirk that made her melt with joy, of his particular scent that enveloped her and made her blood thrum with desire. She slept well that night, her mind filled with his sunset gaze, crooked grins, and a scarred mouth that felt soft and gentle against her skin.

==================================

Ellana had been going over her notes for the day’s lessons when Dorian’s face peeked over the journal.

“You should ask him out.”

She lost count how many time she had rolled her eyes at Dorian that day alone, but she did it again nonetheless. Her previously elaborate rebuttals had now narrowed down to a simple: 

“No.”

“But he’s gorgeous! And he fancies you! I’ve watched him basically drool while staring at you,” Dorian kept mildly exclaiming. “At least take him home and screw him senseless. I’m certain he’d let you.”

Even without his constant nagging, as the week progressed Ellana found it increasingly more and more difficult to keep the golden Fereldan out of her mind. Between that damned smirk and the ghost-like feeling of his lips on her hand, she kept fantasizing about a variety of what-ifs and found herself pondering if she should indeed go for it. After all, Tabs had been right, it’s been three years since her last relationship and it was time to move on to someone different. Or that’s what she tried telling herself anyway.

“I am not interested in a one-time tumble in the sheets, Dorian,” she reminded him. “My brain isn’t wired that way, remember?”

He shrugged.

“So let him take you out on a few dates and _then_ screw him senseless,” he said as if it was the single most logical conclusion. “You’re complicating things needlessly. The man clearly wants you, if that blushing face from last week is of any indication. And he kissed your hand! How are you not swept off your feet yet?”

“Because I don’t have a habit of making decisions based on what my genitalia want!” she exclaimed back, starting to get fed up with his nagging. “Besides, I don’t want to start something new when I have _this_ shit to deal with.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. With a series of taps and swipes, she pulled up the latest text and put it in front of Dorian’s face.

_I wish to see you. Let’s have dinner._

Ellana watched as her friend’s face went from concentration, to dismay, to annoyance. He shook his head and reached out to squeeze her arm in silent reassurance.

“Have you been replying?” he asked.

She gently shook her head.

“No. The last thing I need is for him to assume that I’m even remotely interested in rekindling our relationship,” she said and locked her phone again. “I have been hoping that his work would distract him from bother me, but it’s been weeks and here I am.”

Dorian narrowed his eyes at her.

“Have you thought of reporting this to the police? Maybe getting a restraining order against him?” he counted out the extravagant ideas. “Or better yet! Change your number. That’s nice and easy.”

Ellana sighed. She had thought of it already.

“I could,” she said quietly. “But a lot of my cases at the Center have this number and I need them to be able to get a hold of me quickly if something is wrong. I can’t change my number and put someone at risk.”

Dorian looked like he wanted to say something more, to refute the point, but changed his mind half-way. His expression changed to the soft yet self-assured grin she’d come to expect from him, and he chuckled.

“This is the Ellana we all know and love: saving the world one abused family at a time,” he said. He leaned in and placed a gentle on her forehead. “Either way, let me know if you need help keeping your creeper ex-boyfriend off your back. I know a guy who could probably fold Solas into a pretzel.”

Something in his voice caught Ellana’s attention and she gave him a suspicious side-glace. The man kept trying to keep his face neutral, but they hadn’t been friend for decades for nothing.

“I smell a story,” she announced, certain of her instincts.

“You smell nothing, my dear,” he refuted and turned on his heel. “Let’s get this show on the road, shall we? Our first students are at the door and I would _loathe_ to keep them waiting.”

Ellana stared after Dorian, her eyes boring into the man’s back while she tried to figure out what he wasn’t telling her. There was something happening and she had a feeling it meant a new man in Dorian’s life. Perhaps she could use that as leverage to get her friend to stop his teasing about Cullen? Yes, that definitely had potential.

She put away the phone she had been holding and walked towards the front area to greet her first set of student: the tango class.

==================================

“Just remember the rhythm,” she reminded Cullen for the fifth time in a row. She used her hands to clap slowly four times, followed by another four in rapid succession. “It’s different than the waltz, but not more difficult, I swear. Just focus on the music.”

Ellana had been apprehensive about seeing Cullen for his private lesson, considering that last week he had kissed her hand out of the blue and she had reacted by running away like a spooked halla. She had no idea what possessed her to act so childishly, but she hadn’t been able to shake the feeling she had screwed up by leaving so suddenly. Would he be even more awkward around her? Or would he become more daring in his advances?

Her worries had been pointless, because the moment Cullen showed up at the school, Ellana could tell something was wrong. Instead of the moods she had seen before - nervous, bashful, smirking, or self-deprecating - he was short-tempered and clearly not present in the moment. She was sad and disappointed with his disinterest, and chastised herself for hoping for more. 

“I’m sorry,” Cullen grumbled. “I guess my luck with waltz doesn’t translate to foxtrot. Of course.”

She tried to give him a reassuring smile, stepped forward to press herself against him, and silently encouraged him to work through the steps again. They ran through three boxes before he moved with the wrong foot and stepped on her again.

“Void take it!” he cursed out loud and released his grip. “This isn’t working. Why am I even doing this?”

Cullen was floundering and it hurt Ellana’s heart to see him this way. He reminded her of a wounded dog she once saw that got shrapnel stuck in its paw, but refused to anybody to get closer to help them. The animal eventually got tired, but the wound had bled so badly the veterinarian had to amputate the limb. The last thing Ellana wanted to do was watch Cullen thrash about without help.

Ellana slowly reached for one of his hands and gently squeezed it. She waited until he turned his head and met her eyes; his amber was much darker right now and she could see the turmoil within was gnawing at his soul. She wondered what kind of terrible things haunted this beautiful man.

“Cullen, it’s okay,” she told him, her voice soft and even. Accepting.

He stared at her, their eyes locked together for the longest time, the weight of his soul threatening to come forth and spill itself before her. She recognized that look and it tore at her for what it probably meant: emotional trauma and insufficient coping mechanisms; she had seen it before in her line of work too many times.

He sighed quietly and let his gaze drop to the side. “I’m sorry, I’m being useless.”

This time she gathered both of his hands in hers, her tiny fingers struggling to embrace even a fraction of him, and squeezed harder. She desperately needed to let Cullen know that he was within a safe space with her and she would do her damndest to make things easier.

“No, that’s not true,” she murmured. They stood close now and her words didn’t travel far. “I think your mind is far away from here. I think something happened that put you off kilter and you haven’t straightened the boat yet. I also think you are trying too hard to keep things together. Would you like to talk about it? A stranger’s ears can be a wonderful therapy.”

Her words hang heavy in the silence that followed and she wondered if perhaps her eagerness to help had pushed her further than it was proper. Ellana watched as Cullen stared at their joined hands, his breathing not entirely even, and she couldn’t help but expect him to leave without saying another word. When he did finally look up, it was with a gentle squeeze and a soft, sad smile on his lips.

“I do not wish to burden you with the weight of my troubles. I greatly appreciate you asking, but I think I would do best to deal with this alone.”

His denial should not have hurt as much as it did, so Ellana collected herself and quickly worked up a pleasant expression onto her face.

“Of course,” Ellana conceded. “I did not mean to pry. I’m sorry.”

This time it was Cullen who looked contrite and chastised, even though she didn’t say a word to reprimand him. He briefly screwed his eyes closed, took a deep breath and gently swiped a thumb against her knuckles. The sensation sent an immediate ripple of electricity down her spine and she almost missed what he was saying.

“I-- I’m sorry, Ellana,” he rumbled quietly. “I’d love to tell you more, but right now… I feel you’d get the wrong impression of me.”

Cullen kept pressing small circles into her skin and she had a hard time keeping her thoughts together for a coherent reply. She carefully untangled their joined hands and smiled. She hoped her face lost its fake tint when she forced herself to hold his gaze.

“How about this,” she started. Her hands felt empty without him so she reached out and cupped one of his elbows. Hopefully he’d take it as a friendly teacher gesture and not notice her desperation to be closer to him. “We are about half way through our lesson, but I don’t think we’ll get anywhere today. What if we shift next week’s session to a later time and tack on the leftover? This way we’re not wasting time and you can go home tonight, and clear your head.”

It was a sound suggestion and she hoped Cullen would also see it as such. She watched his face as his thoughts churned, hoping to predict how he would react to her suggestion. He definitely seemed uncertain about the proposition.

“Are you sure that’s okay to do?” he asked after a moment. 

“Absolutely. I’ll still get paid the same and you won’t miss out on learning foxtrot. Win-win!”

He narrowed her eyes at her and slightly shifted his head, clearly unsure what to do.

“Alright, let’s do that,” he agreed. “What time should I be here?”

Ellana did brief calculation in her mind. “Would seven-thirty work?”

“Yes,” he nodded and for the first time that day, a genuine smile bloomed on his face.

She instinctively replied with a grin of her own. “There’s that beautiful smile of yours!”

_Ba-dump_

As the words left her mouth, her heart skipped a beat and she stared at Cullen, her eyes wide. She could feel the beginning prickles of a blush rising on her face and she closed her eyes in embarrassment. Of all the silly things that rattled in her brain, that was the one to escape? She exhaled slowly and opened her eyes again, only to see him staring at her with frightening intensity. Ellana could see color darkening his neck and ears, but this time he did not make a hasty retreat. Instead, a positively smug smirk curved that damnable lip scar and he tilted his head toward her.

“I should get going,” he noted. Somehow his voice had become an octave lower; it washed over her with warmth and promises of something darker and delicious. “Have a good rest of the evening, Ellana.”

She didn’t trust her words to come out in anything other than a squeak, so Ellana smiled at Cullen and watched as he went back to change his shoes and leave the premises. A long-suffering groan left her throat as she turned and almost ran into Dorian, who conveniently placed himself in her path.

“You are painful to watch,” he announced, his voice clipped. “The two of you have so much chemistry, I could manufacture fireworks from the sparks alone. Do something about it!”

Ellana pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes.

“I don’t have time for this, Dorian,” she growled. She threw him what she hoped was a death stare. “I’m not stupid, nor am I oblivious, so I kindly request you leave me to do things _my_ way. This friendly ‘needling’ is starting to piss me off.”

And with that, she scampered off in the direction of the bathroom, not bothering to see Dorian’s reaction. 

A quick glance at the wall clock as she passed it told Ellana she still had almost twenty minutes before her next client. When the door locked with a loud click, she leaned back against its cold surface and did her best to calm her breathing. 

It did not help. 

Ellana whined in frustration. Resigned to her urges, she pulled down her leggings along with her panties, low enough to expose herself, and reached between her thighs. She was soaking wet and swollen with want. Without further preamble, she dipped her fingers inside while her other hand worked quickly at her clit, familiar motions bringing pleasure and relief in kind. She could still hear his voice in her ears, smooth timber vibrating along her skin, making her undulate against the door. She could almost imagine Cullen’s rough fingers against her, pushing her to completion, his mouth along the column of her neck, the rasp of his stubble along her jaw, his scent overwhelming her senses, the press of his hard body against her chest-- 

It did not take long until she came with a loud gasp in the shape of his name and it echoed quietly among the tiles. As Ellana slowly put herself to rights again, she could not help but chuckle at the ridiculousness of her entire situation. 

If only Dorian knew how on the nose his suggestions were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter within a week of the last one? *GASP* The world is ending, clearly. Also, don't get used to it, it probably won't happen again :P Either way, thank you for reading! As always, kudos and comments are love and if you want to say 'hi', I live on [Tumblr](https://kagetsukai.tumblr.com/).


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